Set on 10.22 spectacular wooded acres in Wales, Michigan, 7690 Lambs Rd offers a custom-built brick ranch with the kind of scale and land that’s genuinely hard to find at this price point. Listed at 415,000 dollars, the home has been on the market for 6 days and combines strong bones with an honest opportunity for buyers ready to add their own updates.
Property Snapshot
Built in 1999, this custom brick ranch offers 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, 2 full and 1 half, across 2,604 square feet of living space, with a total structure area of 5,154 square feet once the full basement is included. Priced at roughly 159 dollars per square foot, the home sits on a 10.22-acre wooded lot. Annual property taxes are 3,445 dollars, based on a tax assessment of 280,500 dollars, and there is no HOA.
Custom Built with Room to Spread Out
Inside, the home offers a formal living room and a spacious family room, each with its own fireplace, giving the layout two distinct gathering spaces with genuine warmth and character. A flexible bonus room adds adaptable space for a home office, playroom, or additional guest area, while the large kitchen with a breakfast nook anchors the everyday living space. A full basement beneath the main living area roughly doubles the home’s total footprint, offering substantial room for storage, a workshop, or future finishing.
Outside, a back patio extends the living space into the wooded acreage, and an attached 2-car garage handles parking and storage. The home is fully self-sufficient with a private well for water and a septic tank for sewer, along with forced air propane heating and central air conditioning for year-round comfort.
An Honest Opportunity
The listing is upfront that the home could benefit from some updating and TLC, framing it as an opportunity for buyers to bring their own style to an already well-built, custom home rather than starting from scratch. For buyers willing to invest in cosmetic updates, this represents a chance to get into a larger, well-constructed brick home on substantial acreage at a price that reflects the work needed rather than a fully renovated price tag.
Financing Options to Consider
A custom-built home like this one, needing some updating, opens up a solid range of financing paths.
A conventional renovation loan is worth discussing with a lender, allowing buyers to finance both the purchase and planned updates in a single mortgage rather than paying out of pocket after closing.
An FHA loan may also work for owner-occupant buyers, particularly first-time buyers, though given the age of some systems, an appraiser will want to confirm the home meets minimum property standards, or buyers may want to ask about an FHA 203k renovation loan if more significant updates are planned.
A USDA loan is worth checking into as well, since St. Clair County’s rural areas around Wales often qualify as USDA-eligible zones, potentially allowing qualified buyers to purchase with zero down payment.
A VA loan may also be available to eligible veterans, active-duty service members, or surviving spouses, often requiring no down payment for those who qualify.
Insurance Considerations
Insuring a solid brick-built 1999 home is typically more straightforward than insuring a much older property, since brick construction tends to be viewed favorably by insurers for durability. Buyers should still confirm the age and condition of the roof, propane heating system, and both fireplaces when requesting quotes. Because the property relies on a private well and septic system, both should be disclosed clearly, and buyers should ask an agent whether the wooded 10-acre setting affects coverage, particularly regarding wildfire or storm-related tree risk.
Due Diligence Checklist for Buyers
Buyers should plan for a full home inspection covering the roof, propane heating system, both fireplaces, and the full basement, along with an honest assessment of what updating and TLC the listing references actually involves. A well water test and septic inspection are essential given the property’s private systems. Buyers should also confirm the exact boundaries of the 10.22-acre wooded lot, ideally with a survey, and check with St. Clair County on zoning and any relevant restrictions. A title search and review of the property tax history rounds out solid due diligence before closing.
The Wales, MI Market
Wales Township sits in St. Clair County in Michigan’s Thumb region, offering a rural, low-density setting within a reasonable drive of Port Huron and the greater Detroit metro area. Properties combining substantial acreage with custom-built construction, like this one, are uncommon in the local inventory, and buyers looking for space, privacy, and a solid foundation to update over time continue to find strong value in this part of St. Clair County.
Final Thoughts
7690 Lambs Rd offers a genuine opportunity for buyers who want scale, land, and quality construction without paying a fully renovated price. A custom brick ranch, two fireplaces, a full basement, and over 10 wooded acres make this a strong option for anyone ready to put in some work and make it their own.
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